TABLE 3—
Results From Multivariable Modeling for Predictors of Discharge Against Medical Advice in Acute-Care Hospitals (n = 2 953 364): Nationwide Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, 2002
| OR (95% CI) | P | |
| Each year of increasing age | 0.974 (0.974, 0.975) | <.001 |
| Women compared with men | 0.46 (0.45, 0.47) | <.001 |
| Median income of patient’s home zip code, $ | ||
| < 25 000 (Ref) | 1 | |
| 25 000–34 999 | 0.82 (0.79, 0.85) | <.001 |
| 35 000–44 999 | 0.73 (0.70, 0.76) | <.001 |
| ≥ 45 000 | 0.67 (0.64, 0.70) | <.001 |
| Primary health insurance | ||
| Private (Ref) | 1 | |
| Medicaid | 3.32 (3.22, 3.42) | <.001 |
| Medicare | 1.64 (1.59, 1.70) | <.001 |
| No chargea | 2.25 (2.03, 2.49) | <.001 |
| Other | 1.64 (1.56, 1.74) | <.001 |
| Self-pay | 3.28 (3.18, 3.38) | <.001 |
| Race/ethnicity | ||
| White (Ref) | 1 | |
| African American | 1.10 (1.07, 1.14) | <.001 |
| Hispanic | 0.66 (0.63, 0.68) | <.001 |
| Other | 0.90 (0.86, 0.95) | <.001 |
| Unknown | 0.85 (0.82, 0.87) | <.001 |
| Location | ||
| Rural (Ref) | 1 | |
| Urban | 1.66 (1.61, 1.72) | <.001 |
| Hospital type | ||
| Nonteaching (Ref) | 1 | |
| Teaching | 0.90 (0.88, 0.92) | <.001 |
| Hospital sizeb | ||
| Small (Ref) | 1 | |
| Medium | 1.25 (1.20, 1.29) | <.001 |
| Large | 1.08 (1.05, 1.12) | <.001 |
| Length of stay | 0.85 (0.84, 0.85) | <.001 |
Note. OR = odds ratio; CI = confidence interval.
a These patients were not billed for their medical visit as of the date of collection of these data.
bCategorized by number of beds.